So it went like this.....

We were off to the AFL Preliminary Final between Sydney Swans and Collingwood Magpies.

We left home around 4.00pm.

Travelled down the freeway to Sydney Olympic Park........

......and made our way to ANZ Stadium

Had dinner....

........managed to run into several people we knew even though the crowd was just shy of 60,000.....and took our seats.

Game started at 7.50pm.....

1/4 Time Score;

• Swans 5-5-35
• Collingwood 2-3-15

1/2 Time Score;

• Swans 7-9-51
• Collingwood 3-6-24

3/4 Time Score;

• Swans 9-14-68
• Collingwood 5-8-38

Full Time Score

• Swans 13-18-96
• Collingwood 10-10-70

Swans win.....Collingwood lose......hoodoo broken.....HOORAY!!

Then we had to drive all the way home.....but first we had to get out of the car park!!

Sydney are into the 2012 AFL Grand Final next weekend.

If they win they get to call themselves Premiers, they get to hold up a big cup and everyone turns a blind eye while they get smashed and remain that way for the next 5 days.

Personally, I feel a little conflicted about this win.

It now means more tickets must be bought and I get another big charge on my credit card.  It means driving all the way to Melbourne for a day and then all the way back...a round trip of 1940kms.....or alternatively we could fly down and then I incur a second big charge on my credit card.  It means finding somewhere for  Buster to stay for the weekend...which will likely involve a third big charge on my credit card.  It means finding accommodation, which in turn will mean a fourth big charge on my credit card.

Maybe I shouldn't have done so much shopping this week....

The battle of the birds......

Hubby has taken the day off work today.

I believe it may be to give him the opportunity to take some quiet time and mentally prepare himself for the evening ahead.

Tonight the Sydney Swans go up against the Collingwood Magpies in the AFL (Australian Football League...affectionately know as Aussie Rules) Preliminary Final.

The winner of this match goes through to the Grand Final.......the loser goes home.

Winning tonight does not promise to be an easy task.

It seems Sydney has some kind of hoodoo when it comes to Collingwood.  To put it simply we just can't beat them....we can beat teams that can beat them.....but WE can't beat them.  In fact, the last time Sydney recorded a win against Collingwood was back in 2005, it's been an 11 games losing streak since then.

There isn't a team in the AFL that you want to beat more than Collingwood.

EVERYBODY hates Collingwood....except Collingwood supporters.

Now Collingwood supporters...what can I tell you about them....I don't want to appear biased so instead of using my words I will quote the Urban Dictionary.......

Collingwood Supporter

46 up, 14 down

An illiterate bogan who has little or no general knowledge on any topic to that isn't to do with Australian Rules Football. They are incappable of dealing with a loss of a game, and claim it is always the umpire's fault even though they kissed dale thomas' ass the whole way through the game. Typical ways to pass the time including getting dressed up into your favourite flannie and ugg boots, combing the mullet and going down to "norflanz" to have a drink with fellow supporters near the bus stops. While at the game, it is tradition for a supporter to have at least 12 VBsbefore half time. It is also important to try and pick a fight with anybody supporting an apposing team. Normal Person " Hey what footy team do you go for?" Collingwood Supporter " I goes fa collingwood the best f'in team in thaa AFL, if ya doesnt like them i'll kick ya arrrrsee in!"

......and they look like this......

and this......

and this

Now in an attempt to be fair, and portray a well rounded, accurate picture of the Collingwood supporter I thought I would also add some photos of  well mannered, well behaved fans of good quality.....but I couldn't find any.....

So come on Swans....do it for all your latte sipping, eastern suburb yuppie supporters....and a few ring ins from the central coast......SMASH THOSE MAGPIES!!!!!

Ooops.....

Buster had an appointment at the vet this morning...he had to get a jab and a haircut....if only we could get our pesky medical issues attended to while getting a good wash, cut and blow-dry.  So I dropped him off at 9.00 and was told to pick him back up at 1.00pm.

That left me at a loose end for 4 hours and I was tantalisingly close to a large shopping centre.

"I'll just drop in for a few minutes...then I'll get back home and knuckle down to some good housewifely duties".....hahahahaha!!!

I'll just briefly refer to the message that Hubby gave me on Tuesday......."don't spend too much"!!

Before I begin, let me just say in my defense, that we are heading overseas in about 6 weeks, and it will be close to winter over there, and I really had to take advantage of all the sales that were very considerately getting rid of their winter stock as we head into summer.  It would have been ludicrous to not buy these things.  Not to mention we really have to support the ailing retail industry...they're doing it really tough at the moment....and I'm very community minded like that...I like to help where I can.

So though I meant to drop in for just a few minutes, and maybe pick up a loaf of bread, I accidentally came home with......

• 2 pairs of thermal long johns
• 5 cardigans
• 1 jumper
• 3 shirts
• 1 pair of pyjamas
• 8 pairs of socks (though 2 pairs were for Master 15)
• 1 pair of jeans (but these were for Hubby...and he asked for them)
• 3 loaves of bread

I know it looks bad......real bad.....but I saved $327.89!!!!!!

That's almost $82 per hour!!!!!

I am considering getting one of these signs and sticking it on my wallet....but only if it's on sale.

Tackling the Really BIG, International Issues......

The news is full of Prince William and Kate and THOSE topless photos at the moment.

Some sleazy French photographer hid in the undergrowth with a 3 foot lens on his camera and snapped some shots of the newlyweds doing what newlyweds do....you know, enjoying each others company....before the kids come along......and they never get the opportunity to be alone again......for a really, really long time.......at which stage they realise they've grown apart and have nothing left in common......and decide to go their separate ways.....but I digress, that's another topic altogether.

So Wills and Kate were having a little holiday and Kate decided to even out her tan and some slimy photographer hid behind a tree about 10 km away and took some pictures with his really long lens.

Shocking invasion of privacy.....and that stinky photographer should be charged and have a least 35 inches amputated from his camera lens......

BUT......

Chin up Kate.....things could have been worse.

He could have caught you on a fat day (though I doubt you have those).......and he could have caught you engaging in some sort of kinky foot fetish behaviour.........and he could have caught you with a man that wasn't a prince or your husband either.....

All theses things could have happened.....but they didn't.....well not to you anyway.

Maybe to someone else that shall remain nameless (Fergie).

Super savings and spring storms.....

Another beautiful spring day on the sunny Central Coast.

A day I spent doing one of my most favourite things....shopping!!

I set off with Hubby's warning ringing in my ears "Don't spend too much.."

So I tried my very, very best......

I got these...

 but they were 25% off.......so you really can't count them as spending

Then I found these.....

 ....and they were reduced from $20 all the way down to $4.95......so in order to save more I got these as well.....

With all those savings it was really reverse spending.......I probably made money!!

Then to end the day on a dramatic note....

.....the clouds rolled in.......

....the sunshine disappeared....

......the sky got really dark....

......and the rain started to fall......

.....if my reflexes were quicker I'd have got a shot of the lightning.....but it was as fast as, well lightning so we'll have to make do with this....

Laundry ad nauseum.....

 I will often complain to whomever will listen (usually nobody does), just how much I hate washing day.

But I gave this matter some quiet contemplation (as I sat on the couch trying to avoid the task at hand).....and I experienced an epiphany.....it's not washing day I despise.....it's the day after washing day that really irks me.

That's when you are faced with a mountain of jocks, socks and other clobber......

 .....which all needs fluffing and folding.......and an overflowing laundry basket spewing it's horribly crinkled contents at you......

The finished result does lead me to question a few mysteries in life.......

Why is my pile of laundry always sooooo much smaller than everyone elses???

I have a theory that involves the distinct possibility that everyone else is too lazy to put anything away and finds it much easier to chuck things into the dirty clothes basket than into their cupboard.

I have proof of this conjecture.....there was an occasion, back in 2011....which involved someone that will remain nameless (Master 12).  I had spent the entire day washing, folding, ironing and I left a neat pile of freshly laundered clothes on his bed and asked him to put them away.  Where do you suppose he put them way to???  The dirty clothes basket!!!  Suffice to say, I am much more specific in my request now.

The second mystery also involves Master 12.  How is it that his entire weeks laundry contains just one sock......

.....where's the other one.....and what has he been wearing for the last 6 days????

The answer could lie in a secret stash of socks squirrelled away somewhere safe for unknown purposes...or it could mean he's been hopping around on one leg, wearing the same sock for a whole week.  I suspect the answer lies somewhere between the two.  Hygiene....what's that?  Obviously it's a dirty word.....but dirt don't bother him!!!

Before this tedious day is over, I have to iron about a million shirts for Hubby (worst job....like....ever).

Just one more mystery to solve......

....how can any ONE person possibly need this many blue shirts??

Just wondering!!!!!

Ways to NOT spend your Sunday afternoon.....

Okay....sorry folks.....But I feel a major rant coming on.

Yesterday afternoon Hubby shocked me by declaring that we would go off in the morning and pre-order me one of the new Apple iPhones.  If you have read my blog previously you will know that I have been nagging for an upgrade from my dumb phone for a while.  What came over him to result in such an about turn I'm not sure....but I wasn't complaining.....yet.

So this morning we set off bright and early for the local Optus shop intent on upgrading my current pre-paid, and getting my name down for the shiny new....better than ever....slimmer.....lighter....will do anything....including the dishes (almost)......iPhone 5.

Seems we were a little deluded in thinking that the place to go to upgrade an Optus account was an Optus shop......"Oh no....you need to do that on line....pre-order the phone....and then collect it from this store.  If you have any problems....call this customer service line....ie don't come to me with your issues. (Seems to me Optus may as well post the phones out and close down the stores if they are only a collection booth...they could save some money...and pass the savings on to their customers...ha ha).

So home we went....I log into Optus....first screen I see... pre-order an iPhone 5....click here.  Well that's nice...I'll be done in a tick.  Poor deluded fool was I!!  Select your phone, memory size, colour.....are you an existing customer.....Yes.....enter your phone number....ok.....enter your account number.....oops I'm prepaid, I don't have one......it's a mandatory field....no going forwards.  Ok, close the screen....start again....enter through the prepaid menu.  Would you like to upgrade to a plan.....Yes....please take a moment to create an account.....now we're talking!!

I was going fine until create your user name.  The handy hint suggested something you will easily remember e.g. Michael.Smith123.  Ha!!  No exaggeration, I sat there for an hour coming up with every possible combination of my name, birth date, address, phone number, pet's name, bra size, rapidly diminishing IQ...and sometimes a long string of all the above combined.  Taken.....already in use.....unavailable!!  Are you really telling me that someone is currently using my mobile number as their log in??

I finally came up with some convoluted combination, that joy of joys, was available.  Now password....too weak....piss weak....are you kidding weak.....a little better but I could hack you in 15 seconds weak.  I finally managed one that I might be able to remember that gave me the encouraging....mediocre.

Click the complete button....YAY!!

Now log in, we have sent you a security code...cool!  An email provides me with a link to log in.  Enter your user name and your password....ok...."Your user name and/or password are incorrect".  Try again and again....same result.  Swearing and cursing I dig around in my handbag for the customer service number, the ever so helpful salesgirl gave me (she obviously knew I'd be needing it).

Ring....enter your phone number....Press 1 for service....blah....blah....blah....then wait.

"Habib speaking, how may I help you?"

Habib sounded like he was taking the call from one of those overcrowded trains in Calcutta....I'm certain I heard chickens in the background.

"Ok...in the field that asks for your password....don't enter your password...enter your security code"

Oh of course...don't enter what they asked for, enter that other thing completely....OK!!

Habib hangs up quickly....I'm pretty sure a small child fell out of the overhead compartment onto his phone.

So I enter my long convoluted, but correct, user name and Optus' security code.....Your user name and/or password are incorrect....access denied!!!

I'm ready to kick some Optus butt...try again....this service is unavailable due to s@&hrh%jjruj(h (or some other equally indecipherable code)!!

MERCY!!!

So 2 hours later I have no account and no phone ordered...but I do have a raging case of high blood pressure!!!

That's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back!!

'Yes' Optus????

I don't think so!!!!!